ISCO      R  S  E  S 


UEL1V1 


March  8th  and  15th,  1863, 


CENTURY  AND  A  HALF 


FROM    TUB 


i*n  of  tltc  Cougt^ptionat  ffilutvch 


i 


WEST  HARTFORD,  CONN. 


V  M  YJiON   N.  MOHUIS 


WEST   BAKTFORD  : 
PRINTED  BY  WILLIAM  STOKER. 


TWO 


DISCOURSES 


DELIVERED 


March  8th  and  15th,  1863, 


ON    THE    COMPLETION    OF 


A  CENTURY  AND  A  HALF 


FROM    THE 


isation  of  the 


WEST  HARTFORD,  CONN. 


BY  MYRON  N.  MORRIS, 

PASTOR   OF    THE   CHURCH. 


WEST  HARTFORD: 
PRINTED  BY  WILLIAM  STOKER. 

1863, 


WEST  HARTFORD,  APRIL  7,  1863. 
REV.  M.  N.  MORRIS, 

DEAR  SIR — At  a  meeting  of  the  Congregational  Church  in  this  town, 
of  which  you  are  pastor,  held  on  the  3d  inst.,  the  undersigned  were  appointed  a 
Committee  to  communicate  to  you  the  following  vote,  which  was  unanimously 
adopted  by  the  Church  : — 

"  The  members  of  this  Church  and  Congregation  having  listened  with  great  satis- 
faction to  the  recent  interesting  discourses  of  our  pastor,  in  commemoration  of 
the  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the  Organization  of  the  Church  ; 
and  feeling  that  these  Sermons  ought  to  be  preserved,  as  an  important  link  in 
the  History  both  of  the  Town  and  the  Church  ;— therefore  it  is 

"  Voted,  That  the  thanks  of  this  people  are  hereby  tendered  to  Rev.  MYRON 
N.  MORRIS  for  his  valuable  Historical  Discourses,  and  that  he  be  respectfully  re- 
quested to  furnish  a  copy  of  the  same  for  publication." 

In  discharging  the  pleasing  duty  imposed  on  us  by  the  Church,  we  must  be 
allowed  to  add,  that  our  individual  wishes  coincide  cordially  with  those  of  our 
brethren ;  and  we  sincerely  hope  you  will  not  hesitate  to  comply  with  the  request 
expressed  in  the  vote. 

We  are,  dear  sir, 

Yours  iu  Christian  fellowship. 

HENRY  TALCOTT, 
EDWARD  BRACE, 
WILLIAM  STORER. 


Mr.  HENRY  TALCOTT,  Dea.  EDWARD  BRACE,  and  Mr.  WILLIAM  STORER,  Committee  : 
DEAR  BRETHREN, 

The  Discourses,  of  which  you  request  a  copy,  were  prepared  without 
a  view  to  their  publication.  My  original  design  was  simply  to  present,  in  a  single 
discourse,  such  facts  in  the  history  of  the  Church  and  Society  as  I  could  immedi- 
ately gather  from  my  limited  sources  of  information.  But  as  I  proceeded,  I  found 
myself  exceeding  the  proper  limits  of  one  discourse,  and,  not  having  time  to  re-write 
and  condense,  concluded  to  add  another.'  In  publishing,  it  might  be  an  improve- 
ment to  reduce  the  two  to  the  foim  and  ordinary  length  of  a  single  sermon  ;  but  I 
thought  it  might  please  my  people  better  to  receive  them  in  print  just  as  they  heard 
them  from  the  pulpit.  1  therefore  place  them  in  your  hands  with  very  little  altera- 
tion. May  they  serve  to  recall  grateful  memories  of  the  Past,  and  also  to  keep  in 
mind  the  scenes  through  which  we  are  now  passing. 

.      Yours  iu  Christ, 

M.  N.  MORRIS. 

WKST  HARTFORD,  APRIL  9,    1863. 


2012479 


DISCOURSE    I. 


ECOLESIASTES    1  :  4, 


One  generation  passeth  away,  and  another  generation  cometh ;  but  the  earth 
abideth  for  ever. 

THE  race  of  man  continues,  but  the  period  during  which  any- 
one generation  or  individual  of  that  race  remains  on  the  earth,  is 
very  brief.  Men  come  on  to  the  stage  full  of  hope  and  energy ; 
they  form  their  plans,  and  prosecute  their  enterprises,  as  though 
they  were  always  to  remain.  But  after  even  a  brief  century 
has  passed,  we  can  learn  who  they  were  and  what  they  did  only 
by  searching  among  the  records  and  monuments  they  have  left 
us  ;  and  these  are  too  often  so  scanty  as  to  afford  us  but  little 
knowledge.  The  divine  plan  is,  not  that  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  should  remain  the  same  from  age  to  age,  but  that  they 
should  come  in  successive  generations,  and  develop  their  powers, 
form  their  characters,  and  perform  their  work  in  their  appointed 
time,  and  pass  away,  and  make  room  for  others  to  come  after 
them.  And  this  is  a  most  wise  arrangement,  excellently  adapted 
to  promote  the  great  ends  of  life.  It  is  favorable  to  improvement 
and  progress  in  that  which  is  good.  When  people  have  passed 
the  period  of  youth  and  early  manhood,  they  become  conserva- 
tive, and  as  they  grow  old,  they  are  more  and  more  averse  to 
change.  This  indeed  is  a  barrier  against  the  sudden  overturning 
of  the  old  foundations  ;  but  men  live  long  enough  now  to  hold  in 
check  the  rash  impetuosity  of  youth ;  and  then  they  pass  away 
in  season  to  allow  of  the  gradual  introduction  of  such  changes 


as  the  coming  generation,  who  are  not  wedded  to  old  customs, 
may  deem  to  be  desirable. 

The  passing  away  and  the  coming  in  of  successive  generations 
is  favorable  also  to  the  moral  condition  of  society.  Had  the  gen- 
erations that  lived  before  the  flood  continued  to  this  day,  there  is 
no  conceiving  of  what  the  wickedness  and  corruption,  that  pro- 
voked Heaven  to  destroy  them,  would  have  grown  into  ;  or  what 
would  have  been  the  evil  result,  had  all  the  wicked  men  that  have 
established  themselves  in  wealth  and  power  been  permitted  to 
strengthen  themselves  from  age  to  age,  and  every  throne  of  ini- 
quity that  framed  mischief  by  a  law  continued  to  oppress  and 
work  unrighteousness  to  the  end  of  time !  But  now  how  differ- 
ent !  The  men  of  power,  who  have  held  a  rod  of  terror  over 
the  heads  of  the  oppressed  people,  have  died,  and  others  have 
taken  their  places  to  begin  anew,  for  good  or  for  evil. 

Those  who  have  gathered  to  themselves  immense  wealth,  so 
dangerous  to  themselves,  to  their  children,  and  to  the  commu- 
nity, have  gone  to  the  grave,  and  their  over-grown  fortunes  been 
divided  and  scattered.  The  old  sinner,  who  has  been  a  curse  to 
his  neighborhood,  destroying  much  good,  and  working  all  man- 
ner of  evil,  has  after  a  few  years  passed  away,  and  that  ungodly 
company  who  had  gathered  around  him  and  strengthened  him  in 
wickedness,  or  rather  have  drawn  from  him  their  own  power  for 
evil,  are  broken  up,  and  have  lost  their  influence ;  while  the 
good  seed  which  the  faithful  have  long  been  sowing,  with  tears, 
in  the  fruitful  soil  of  childhood  and  youth,  springs  up,  and  the 
whole  moral  aspect  is  changed. 

It  is  surely  better  that  our  race  should  be  ever  renewed  by  a 
constant  supply  of  fresh  and  youthful  blood ;  better  that  they 
who  would  do  good  should  have  this  plastic  material  to  work 
upon  ;  better  that  when  men  have  come  to  maturity  and  wisdom, 
and  have  lived  long  enough  to  mould  aright  the  coming  genera- 
tion, and  to  impress  upon  it  the  right  image,  they  should  pass 


away,  and  leave  the  world  to  their  successors.  And  this  is  a 
beneficent  arrangement  for  even  those  who  depart ;  for  the  right- 
eous go  to  their  reward,  and  the  wicked,  by  remaining,  would 
only  fill  up,  more  largely,  the  measure  of  their  iniquity. 

It  is  now  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  since  the  first  pastor  of 
this  church  was  ordained ;  and  probably  the  date  of  the  organi- 
zation of  the  church  corresponds  precisely,  or  very  nearly,  with 
the  commencement  of  this  first  pastorate.  By  the  favor  of  God, 
the  church  has  continued  to  the  present  time,  exerting  its  happy 
influence  on  this  community,  and  on  the  world.  But  they  who 
established  it,  and  were  its  original  members,  are  all  gone.  Their 
children  are  all  passed  away.  None  of  their  grand-children  re- 
main. Four  generations  have  come  upon  the  stage,  acted  their 
important  part,  and  mostly  made  their  exit.  And  the  fifth,  and 
perhaps  the  sixth,  generation — the  present  membership  of  the 
church,  are  now  having  their  day — of  responsibility,  and  of  privi- 
lege. The  first  three  pastors,  who  led  this  flock  through  a  period 
of  a  hundred  and  twenty-five  years,  now  sleep  in  the  midst  of 
their  mouldering  congregations. 

You  very  properly  feel  a  deep  interest  in  these  departed  gene- 
rations ;  they  were  of  your  own  kindred,  your  fathers  and 
mothers.  They  are  gone,  but  they  lived  not  in  vain,  nor  to 
themselves  alone.  They  have  left  us  this  most  precious  Christian 
heritage,  for  which  we  have  every  day  occasion  to  bless  God. 

Let  us  go  back  to  the  beginning,  and  follow  them,  as  far  as 
we  are  able,  through  their  toils  and  prayers  and  conflicts,  and 
notice  the  principles  that  guided  them,  and  the  good  hand  of 
God  upon  them,  and  see  how  this  goodly  heritage  came  to  us. 

In  regard  to  the  time  when  the  settlement  of  this  part  of  the 
old  town  of  Hartford  was  commenced,  how  the  first  inhabitants 
lived,  and  what  privileges  they  enjoyed,  I  have  at  hand  no  means 
of  information.  The  earliest  Society  Records  extant  are  in  an 


unbound,  and  somewhat  mutilated  volume,  marked  "  No.  2," 
and  they  commence  Dec.  8,  1736,  more  than  twenty-five  years 
after  the  Society  was  incorporated.  And  there  are  recorded  only 
two  votes  passed  by  the  church  during  the  ministry  of  its  first 
pastor,  and  these  were  about  thirty-six  years  after  his  ordination. 

It  appears  that  in  accordance  with  a  vote  of  the  proprietors 
of  the  undivided  lands  in  the  West  Division  of  Hartford,  passed 
Jan.  30, 1672,  there  was  laid  out,  by  a  committee,  in  November, 
1674,  a  strip  of  these  lands,  next  to  Farmington  bounds,  a  mile 
and  a  half  wide  east  and  west,  and  extending  north  and  south 
across  the  town.  This  strip  was  divided  into  lots,  running  en- 
tirely across  it,  each  lot  being  a  mile  and  a  half  in  length,  and 
varying  in  width  from  three  to  ninety-one  rods,  according  to  the 
interest  of  each  of  the  proprietors,  of  whom  the  names  of  sixty- 
eight  are  recorded,  with  the  number  of  the  lot  assigned  to  each. 
The  eastern  boundary  of  Farmington  at  that  time  was  the  road 
passing  north  and  south  by  Mr.  Edwin  W.  Belden's. 

The  Ecclesiastical  Society  of  the  West  Division  in  Hartford 
was  incorporated  by  act  of  the  legislature,  passed  at  its  May  ses- 
sion in  1711,  in  accordance  with  a  petition* — signed  by  twenty- 
eight  residents — presented  at  its  session  in  October  of  the  pre- 
ceding year.  The  boundaries  of  the  Society  were,  Windsor  on 
the  north,  Farmington  on  the  west,  Wethersfield  on  the  south, 
and  on  the  east,  "  the  east  ends  of  the  West  Division  lots."  It 
was  afterward  enlarged  so  as  to  include  a  part  of  Farmington, 
and  also  extended  considerably  on  the  east.  In  1806,  its  name 
was  changed  by  the  legislature  to  the  Society  of  West  Hartford. 

From  1736,  the  time  when  the  records  commence,  onward,  we 
find  the  Society  pursuing  what  seems  to  have  been  its  established 
course, — meeting  annually  in  the  month  of  December,  appoint- 
ing a  Committee  "  to  take  care  of  the  schools  and  other  pruden- 
tials of  the  Society,"  directing  how  many  schools  shall  be  taught, 
*  See  Appendix. 


in  what  manner,  and  how  long,  and  instructing  their  Commit- 
tee to  carry  their  views  into  effect ;  voting  what  they  called  the 
"  minister's  rate,"  and  the  "  charge  rate,"  the  latter  generally 
abont  two  pence  on  a  pound,  for  school  purposes  and  other 
charges  ;  and  also  voting  from  year  to  year  the  amount  to  be 
appropriated  for  the  minister's  salary.* 

The  plan  of  having  all  the  schools  in  a  town  or  Society  sup- 
ported by  one  common  fund,  raised  by  tax,  and  all  under  the 
control  of  one  Board  of  Education,  is  not  a  modern  one.  Your 
fathers  here  adopted  it, — as  did  the  people  of  the  other  towns,  for 
it  was  a  State  requirement, — and  followed  it*  down  to  within  about 
fifty  years  of  the  present  time.  The  Society  built  all  the  school- 
houses,  and  assumed  the  whole  direction  and  support  of  the 
schools.  In  1746,  it  was  "  voted  that  there  be  three  school- 
houses  built  in  this  parish,  at  the  cost  of  the  Society ;"  and  the 
Committee  were  directed  to  dispose  of  the  old  school-houses  for 
the  benefit  of  the  Society.  Our  fathers  were  deeply  impressed 
with  the  importance  of  education,  and  of  schools  as  a  necessary 
means  of  education.  They  were  not  satisfied  with  six  or  eight 
months  schooling  in  the  year ;  they  voted  from  year  to  year,  that 
a  school  be  kept  eleven  months,  but  more  frequently  twelve 
months  in  the  year.  Previous  to  about  1745,  the  schools  were 
taught  a  part  of  the  year  by  females ;  afterward,  for  a  long  time, 
by  males  only.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century,  we  find 

*  The  ministers  were  settled  upon  a  specified  salary,  but  such  were  the  fluctua- 
tions of  the  currency,  that  it  was  varied  from  year  to  year  in  order  to  make  it  cor- 
respond, as  nearly  as  practicable,  in  value,  to  the  amount  which  had  been  pledged. 
Thus  the  Society  voted  to  their  first  minister  sums  varying  from  £100  to  £600  a 
year;  one  year  £60  in  silver,  and  his  wood,  or  £412  "Old  Tenor,"  and  his  wood. 
And  when  the  second  pastor  was  settled,  his  "settlement,"  and  salary,  were  to  be 
paid  in  currency  equal  to  silver  at  six  shillings  eight  pence  an  ounce.  And  in 
1777,  it  was  "voted  to  pay  half  of  Dr.  Perkins'  rate  in  provisions,"  at  a  price 
which  had  been  recently  established  by  law ;  and  the  following  year,  to  give  him 
£100  in  provisions,  or  £300  in  Continental  bills, 

2 


10 

districts  coming  more  distinctly  into  view,  and  the  Society  voting 
school  privileges  to  the  "  East  Side,"  and  to  the  "  West  Lane." 

The  very  intimate  relation  between  the  Ecclesiastical  Society 
and  the  Church,  between  religion  and  education,  renders  these 
somewhat  secular  topics  quite  appropriate  to  my  purpose.  It 
was  the  glory  of  the  fathers  of  New  England, — the  glory  also  of 
the  fathers  of  West  Hartford, — that  they  placed  their  social 
and  political  fabric  upon  the  foundation  of  Religion  and  Educa- 
tion ;  the  Church  and  the  School-house,  side  by  side,  early 
planted,  equally  and  liberally  sustained, —  both  essential  to  the 
well-being  and  prosperity  of  the  community.  A  religious  and 
intelligent  people  will  acknowledge  and  perform  their  duties, 
will  know  and  assert  their  rights.  This  Society  was  formed  for 
the  purpose  of  maintaining  and  enjoying  religious  and  educational 
privileges.  Your  honored  forefathers,  who  petitioned  for  this 
Society,  might  have  saved  themselves  all  this  trouble  and  expense, 
and  stayed  at  home  on  the  Sabbath,  as  some  now  do,  and  let 
those  who  wanted  schools  establish  them,  or  send  their  children 
through  the  wilderness  to  the  city ;  but  what  in  that  case  would 
West  Hartford  have  been  now  ?  Instead  of  this  goodly  place, 
this  intelligent,  Christian  and  highly  favored  community,  what  a 
den  of  ignorance,  and  heathenism, — to  help  the  rebels  in  their 
infernal  work !  A  very  sink  of  wickedness,  drawing  into  itself 
all  the  vileness  and  corruption  of  the  city  and  surrounding 
country ! 

As  early  as  May,  1797,  a  unanimous  vote  was  passed  by  the 
Society,  to  take  measures  to  be  set  off  as  a  town.  This  matter 
was  prosecuted  from  time  to  time,  and  after  a  lapse  of  fifty-seven 
years,  viz.  in  1854,  the  object  was  obtained,  and  the  results  thus 
far  have  been  happy. 

When  the  meeting-house  in  which  the  fathers  first  worshiped 
here  was  built,  I  am  not  informed.  Some  of  you  remember 


11 

what  I  suppose  to  be  that  same  old  building,  with  a  steep  roof, 
standing  a  little  west  of  this  house,  and  occupied  as  a  barn. 

In  a  Society  meeting,  Dec.  23,  1741,  seventy  members  being 
present,  it  was  voted,  fifty-five  in  favor,  to  build  a  new  meeting- 
house, fifty-five  feet  in  length,  and  forty  feet  in  width.*  The 
house  was  raised  in  June  following,  and  taxes  laid  at  different 
times  to  meet  the  expense.  The  building  committee  were,  Col. 
John  Whiting,  Capt.  Daniel  Webster,  Moses  Nash,  Timothy 
Seymour,  and  Stephen  Hosmer.f  As  the  expenses  of  the  Society 
were  always  raised,  not  by  renting  or  taxing  the  seats,  but  by  a 
tax  on  the  property  of  the  Society,  the  delicate  work  was  assigned 
to  a  committee  to  "  seat  the  house,"  or  to  designate  the  places 
where  each  family  should  sit.  The  galleries  were  sometimes  thus 
"  seated."  That  old  house  must  be  endeared  to  many  of  you  by 
very  tender  recollections.  There  your  fathers  and  mothers  wor- 
shiped. There  you  were  publicly  consecrated  to  God  in  baptism. 
There,  in  childhood  and  in  youth  you  listened  to  the  Word  of 
Truth  from  revered  lips,  and  there  you  experienced  the  life- 
giving  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  was  your  Zion,  of  which  it 
may  be  said,  "  tin's  and  that  man  was  bom  in  her."  And  there 
you  stood  up  before  the  congregation,  and  entered  into  covenant 
with  God  and  His  people.  Nearly  thirty  years  ago,  that  house 
passed  away  to  make  room  for  the  pleasant  one  which  we  now 
occupy. 

On  the  24th  of  February,  1713,  Mr.  BENJAMIN  COLTON  was 
ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  this  church,  which,  as  I  have 
already  remarked,  was  organized  on  that  same  day,  or  not  long 

*  Our  present  house  is  sixty-eight  feet  in  length,  and  fifty-six  feet  in  width. 

t  In  1754,  it  was  "voted  to  cut  up  all  the  seats  in  the  body  of  the  house,  and 
make  them  into  pews."  Seats  were  subsequently  prepared  in  the  aisles,  to  be  oc- 
cupied by  the  children. 


12 

previous.*  It  was  designated  as  the  Fourth  Church  of  Christ  in 
Hartford, — the  First  and  Second  being  what  are  now  the  Center 
and  the  South  Churches  in  Hartford,  and  the  Third  the  Church 
in  East  Hartford.  It  was  afterward  more  generally  called  the 
Church  of  Christ  in  West  Hartford.  Its  original  members  were 
twenty-nine, — seventeen  males  and  twelve  females.  Mr.  Colton's 
active  ministry  continued  about  forty-three  years,  and  the  earlier 
part  of  it  appears  to  have  been  quite  prosperous,  scarcely  a  year 
passing  without  more  or  less  additions  to  the  church.  In  the  re- 
vivals of  1735  and  1741,  this  church  shared  to  a  considerable 
extent.  In  1735,  there  were  thirty,  and  in  1741,  forty-six  per- 
sons added  to  the  communion  of  the  church.  There  had  been 
admitted  in  1719,  seventeen,  and  in  1729,  fourteen  members. 
The  whole  number  added  during  Mr.  Colton's  ministry,  was  two 
hundred  and  ninety. 

Mr.  Colton,  as  I  have  understood,  was  a  native  of  Long- 
leadow,  Mass.  He  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1710,  in  a 
class  which  had  but  two  members, — one  besides  himself,  at  the 
time  of  graduation.  He  was  twenty-three  years  of  age  at  the  time 
of  his  settlement.  He  published  two  sermons  in  1735,  and  after- 
ward an  Election  Sermon,  which  was  preached  May  12,  1737, 
on  the  Danger  of  Apostacy.  He  must  have  been  a  man  of  a  se- 
rious turn  of  mind,  sound  in  doctrine,  and  familiar  with  the 
Scriptures.  Toward  the  latter  part  of  his  ministry,  there  was  a 
very  unhappy  state  of  dissatisfaction  and  division  among  his  peo- 
ple. Frequent  and  unpleasant  meetings  of  the  Society  were 
held ;  committees  of  conference  were  appointed  ;  and  the  Asso- 
ciation repeatedly  applied  to  for  advice.  In  his  Half-century 
Sermon,  Dr.  Perkins  said, — "  During  the  Rev.  Mr.  Colton's 

*  The  ministers  called  to  assist  at  his  ordination  were,  Rev.  Messrs.  Timothy 
Woodbridge,  pastor  of  First  Church,  Hartford ;  Thomas  Buckingham,  of  South 
Church,  Hartford ;  Samuel  Whitman,  of  Farrnington ;  and  Timothy  Woodbridge, 
Jr.,  of  Simsbury. 


13 

ministry,  the  church  and  parish,  as  appears  from  authentic  docu- 
ments, had  a  most  unhappy  period,  for  four  or  five  years,  of  very 
great  and  cruel  divisions  and  contentions,  which  could  not  be 
healed  or  adjusted,  but  by  calling  in  two  whole  Consociations, — 
that  of  Hartford  County,  and  Litchfield  County."  At  length, 
enfeebled  in  health,  Mr.  Colton  yielded  to  the  pressure  that  was 
upon  him,  and  entirely  laid  aside  the  duties  of  the  ministry.  This 
was  two  or  three  years  before  his  death,  which  occurred  March  1, 
1759,  in  the  seventieth  year  of  his  age.  His  descendants  have  been 
well  and  numerously  represented  in  the  ministry  of  the  gospel. 

The  second  pastor  was  Mr.  NATHANAEL  HOOKER,  JUN.  In 
May,  1757,  the  Society  "  voted  to  give  Mr.  Nathanael  Hooker, 
Jr.  a  call  to  preach  the  gospel  amongst  us,  as  a  probationer  in 
order  to  settlement."  Two  months  later,  in  a  meeting  of  the 
Society,  "  the  question  being  asked  whether  we  are  so  well 
pleased  with  Mr.  Hooker's  performances  in  time  past,  as  to  desire 
to  proceed  further  with  him  in  order  to  settlement,  voted  in  the 
affirmative."  After  another  month,  it  was  "  voted  to  continue 
Mr.  Hooker  here  on  probation."  In  two  months  more,  a  call 
for  settlement  was  made  out,  which  he  accepted,  and  he  was 
ordained  on  the  21st  of  December,  1757,  a  little  more  than  four- 
teen months  previous  to  the  death  of  Mr.  Colton.  His  ministry 
was  short, — continuing  only  twelve  years  and  a  half,  from  his 
ordination  to  his  death ;  but  it  appears  to  have  been  pleasant  and 
useful,  being  characterized  by  great  harmony  among  the  people. 
Fifty-nine  were  added  to  the  church  by  profession  during  his 
pastorate. 

Mr.  Hooker  was  the  son  and  eldest  child  of  Capt.  Nathanael 
and  Eunice  (Talcott)  HQoJcerjr^affd  was  a  descendant  of  Rev. 
Thomas  Hooker,  the  first  minister  of  Hartford.  His  mother  was 
a  daughter  of  Hon.  Joseph  Talcott,  for  seventeen  years — from 
1724  to  1741 — Governor  of  the  Colony  of  Connecticut.  He 
was  born  in  Hartford,  Dec.  15,  1737,  was  graduated  at  Yale 


14 

College  in  1755,  and  was  licensed  to  preach,  Feb.  1,  1757,  by 
the  Hartford  North  Association.  At  the  time  of  his  licensure, 
he  was  but  a  little  more  than  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  he  was 
installed  pastor  of  this  church  within  less  than  a  week  after  he 
had  completed  his  twentieth  year !  They  had  no  occasion  to  re- 
gret the  choice.* 

From  what  I  can  learn,  Mr.  Hoojzer  was  slender  in  person, 
and  in  physical  strength,  but  endowed  with  talents  of  a  very  high 
order.  The  last  years  of  his  ministry,  he  suffered  greatly  from 
from  disease.  His  sermons,  of  which  two  at  least  were  published 
during  Ms  life,  and  six  after  his  death, — all  preached  to  his  own 
people, — exhibit  good  taste,  easy  expression,  strength  and  culti- 
vation of  mind,  and  much  reflection  on  the  Scriptures  and  Di- 
vine providence.  He  was  a  man  of  genial  disposition,  and  great 
wit.  In  his  epitaph  we  read, — "  He  was  a  facetious  gentleman, 
of  an  open  and  benevolent  disposition,  a  universal  scholar,  exem- 
plary Christian,  good  minister,  a  celebrated  preacher,  and  a  warm 
advocate  for  civil  and  religious  liberty ;  a  kind  husband,  tender 
parent,  and  a  hearty  friend  to  mankind.  He  lived  in  high  esteem 
with  his  church,  and  in  reputation  with  all  who  knew  his  real 
worth,  and  died  extremely  lamented,  June  9, 1770,  in  the  thirty- 
third  year  of  his  age,  and  the  thirteenth  of  his  ministry."  His  fu- 
neral sermon  was  preached  by  his  friend,  Rev.  Joseph  Perry, 
pastor  of  the  First  Church  in  what  is  now  South  Windsor,  who 
also  published  the  six  sermons  before  alluded  to.  His  wife  was 
Ruth,  daughter  of  Timothy  Skinner,  of  this  place,  and  grand- 
daughter of  Rev.  Benjamin  Colton,  his  predecessor.  He  left  one 
daughter,  the  mother  of  Mr.  Nathaniel  H.  Whiting. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Hooker,  the  Church  and  Society  fell 


*  Picture  the  scene  of  his  ordination.  Rev.  Messrs.  Elnathan  Whitman  of  the 
South  Church  in  Hartford,  Hezekiah  Bissell  of  Wintoubury,  Joshua  Belden  of 
Newington,  Edward  Dorr  of  the  First  Church  in  Hartford,  Eliphalet  Williams  of 


15 

into  the  somewhat  common  misfortune  of  vacant  churches,  of 
hearing  numerous  candidates.  In  those  days,  it  was  no  trifling 
matter  to  select  even  a  candidate  for  settlement.  Here,  there 
were  sixteen  brought  upon  the  ground  for  trial.  And  they  were 
all  such  excellent  men,  that  each  had  his  firm  adherents.  It  was 
true  here,  as  in  the  Church  of  Corinth, — one  was  for  Paul,  and 
another  for  Apollos,  and  a  third  for  Cephas, — while  we  trust  all 
were  really  for  Christ.  In  their  divided  state,  the  Society  voted, 
June  3,  1771,  to  apply  to  the  Association  for  advice,  and  in- 
structed their  Committee  of  Supply  to  follow  such  advice  as 
should  be  given.  They  were  advised  to  dismiss  all  former  can- 
didates, and  seek  for  some  suitable  person  who  was  a  stranger  to 
them  all. 

They  sent  for  Mr.  NATHAN  PERKINS,  a  young  man  who  had 
recently  been  licensed  by  the  New  London  Association  of  Min- 
isters. Dr.  Joab  Brace,  who  published  an  interesting  sketch  of 
his  life,  says  he  preached  his  first  sermon  here  on  the  first  Sab- 
bath in  January,  1772.  Dr.  Perkins  himself  informs  us  that  he 
preached  about  nine  months  on  probation.  His  call,  which  was 
given  in  May,  was  not  entirely  unanimous,  several  men  of  influ- 
ence being  opposed  to  his  settlement.  He  appears  to  have  felt 
great  difficulty  in  deciding  the  important  question.  His  answer 
of  acceptance  is  dated  Aug.  28,  1772,  and  is  the  very  personifi- 
cation of  caution, — every  circumstance  relating  to  the  question 
being  most  carefully  considered  in  all  its  bearings.  And  it  is  only 
after  receiving  the  advice  of  ministers  and  friends,  far  and  near, 
that  he  comes  at  length  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  his  duty  to  ac- 
cept the  call ; — and  even  then,  he  reserves  the  right,  in  a  certain 
contingency,  to  revoke  his  decision.  His  ordination  took  place  on 

East  Hartford,  Ebenezer  Booge  of  Northington,  and  Timothy  Pitkin  of  Farming- 
ton,  with  the  messengers  of  the  churches, — all  assembled  to  lay  reverend  hands  on 
the  head  of  the  boy,  whom  this  people  had  chosen  to  be  their  religious  teacher  and 
spiritual  guide, — a  youth  of  only  twenty  years ! 


16 

the  14th  of  October  following,  the  last  day  of  September  having 
been  set  apart,  by  vote  of  the  Society,  as  a  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer.  I  have  desired  to  ascertain  the  action  of  the  Church 
during  these  proceedings,  but  the  records  covering  this  period 
appear  to  have  been  removed,  or  lost,  from  the  book.* 

The  divisions  and  contentions,  after  a  few  years,  seem  to  have 
subsided,  and  there  stands  out  before  us  this  long  pastorate — of 
sixty-five  years,  almost  unparalleled  in  history,  remarkable  alike 
for  the  general  harmony  of  the  people,  and  the  success  of  the  gos- 
pel. There  were  timers  when  all  was  not  quiet,  as  for  example, 
about  1794,  when  several  members  of  the  church,  including  one  of 
the  deacons,  withdrew  and  joined  the  Quakers.  Occasionally 
members  would  become  dissatisfied,  from  one  cause  or  another, 
and  "  sign  off"  from  the  Society.  But  such  things,  and  worse,  are 
to  be  expected  in  a  world  like  this.  But  the  Church,  on  the 
whole,  pursued  "  the  even  tenor  of  its  way,"  and  was  greatly 
prospered.  In  reviewing  the  first  fifty  years  of  his  ministry,  Dr. 
Perkins  says,  "  The  peace  and  union  of  this  Church  and  Society, 
for  all  the  long  period  of  my  ministry,  have  been  never  inter- 
rupted, and  uncommonly  great, — greater  than  any  other  that  I 
know  of  in  our  land.  Where  can  you  name  a  Church  and  So- 
ciety, as  large  and  numerous  as  this,  so  perfectly  united  and  or- 
thodox, for  such  a  great  length  of  time  as  fifty  years,  and  favored 
with  so  many  seasons  of  revivals  of  religion  ?"  This  is  certainly 
saying  a  great  deal. 

Dr.  Perkins,  in  his  Half-century  Discourse,  preached  in  1822, 
mentions  six  seasons  of  revival  as  having  then  occurred  during 

*  Ministers  present  on  Council,— Rev.  Messrs.  Elnathan  Whitman,  of  the  South 
Church,  Hartford ;  Eliphalet  Williams,  of  East  Hartford ;  Hezekiah  Bissell,  of 
Wintonbury,  now  Bloomfield;  Timothy  Pitkin,  of  Farmington;  Joshua  Belden, 
of  Newington ;  Thomas  Russell,  of  Windsor ;  Joseph  Perry,  of  East  Windsor, 
now  First  Church  in  South  Windsor;  George  Colton,  of  Bolton;  Andrew  Lee,  of 
Hanover,  in  Lisbon ;  and  John  Staples,  of  Westminster  parish,  in  Canterbury, 


17 

his  ministry  ;  the  first  in  1787,  as  the  fruits  of  which,  eighteen  were 
added  to  the  church ;  the  second,  which  was  general  in  the  par- 
ish, and  of  remarkable  power,  occurred  in  1799  and  1800,  fol- 
lowing that  long  period  of  universal  declension  in  vital  piety  and 
morals,  and  prevalence  of  error,  profanity,  and  infidelity.  "  Re- 
ligious meetings  were  held,  besides  meetings  for  the  anxious,  al- 
most every  day  in  the  week."  The  work  continued  a  year  and 
a  half,  and  resulted  in  the  hopeful  conversion  of  one  hundred 
and  forty  souls.  The  third,  in  1807,  was  confined  to  a  single 
neighborhood,  and  twelve  obtained  hope  of  forgiveness.  In  the 
fourth,  which  occurred  a  year  or  two  later,  seventy  indulged 
hope  in  Christ.  The  fifth  was  in  1815  and  1816,  and  resulted 
in  the  addition  of  twelve  members.  The  sixth  was  that  memo- 
rable revival  of  1821,  which  extended  over  a  large  part  of  the 
State.  During  this  year  and  the  following,  seventy  professed 
their  hope  in  Christ ;  and  in  1829  and  1830,  forty-three  more. 
There  was  another  season  of  great  religious  interest  in  1831,  and 
during  that  year  and  the  two  following,  fifty-six  made  profession 
of  their  faith. 

Dr.  Perkins  was  the  son  of  Matthew  and  Hannah  Perkins, 
and  was  born  in  Lisbon,  then  a  part  of  Norwich,  May  12, 1748, 
and  was  consequently  in  his  twenty-fifth  year  when  he  became 
pastor  of  this  church.  He  graduated  at  the  College  of  New 
Jersey,  in  1770.  During  his  last  year  in  College,  there  was  a~^ 
powerful  work  of  grace  in  that  institution,  and  his  own  mind  was 
so  wrought  upon,  that  for  three  months  it  affected  his  bodily 
health.  But  at  length  he  found  peace  in  believing.  He  received 
the  honorary  title  of  D.  D.  in  1801,  from  his  Alma  Mater.  You 
will  hardly  expect  me,  who  never  saw  him,  to  attempt  a  delineation 
of  his  character,  in  the  presence  of  so  many  who  grew  up  under 
his  ministry.  To  those  of  you,  however,  who  never  knew  him, 
a  few  words  may  be  ventured.  From  what  I  have  been  able  to 
gather  respecting  him,  he  rises  before  my  mind,  as  a  large  man, 


18 

but  not  tall,  of  unusual  physical  vigor,  which  he  retained  in  a 
good  degree  to  extreme  old  age,  of  great  dignity,  and  a  certain 
precise  formality  and  condescending  politeness  of  manner,  with 
sufficient  self-esteem  to  appreciate  the  respectability  of  his  posi- 
tion, and  to  have  the  comfortable  feeling  that  he  was  filling  it 
very  creditably ;  a  man  who  did  not  deem  it  sinful  to  enjoy, 
moderately,  the  good  things  of  Providence,  and  was  not  inclined 
to  disturb  others  in  their  innocent  enjoyments.  He  was  a  scholar, 
and  Christian  gentleman  of  the  old  school  of  manners,  well  in- 
formed on  general  topics ;  a  man  of  remarkable  wisdom  and  pru- 
dence, exceedingly  careful  about  saying  any  thing,  or  encourag- 
ing any  thing,  likely  to  stir  up  strife  ;  possibly  he  may  sometimes 
have  preserved  quietness  in  the  community,  by  suppressing  the 
agitation  of  some  subjects  that  ought  to  have  been  discussed,  and 
so  allowing  evils  to  grow  up  undisturbed,  and  to  become  popular  ; 
but  he  knew  "  how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kindleth  ;"  lie  re- 
membered the  divisions  in  which  he  commenced  his  ministry, 
and  had  seen  churches  rent  by  dissensions  about  matters  of  tri- 
fling importance,  and  this  evil  he  carefully  avoided.  On  one 
subject  he  was  decided, — to  give  no  encouragement  to  the  com- 
ing in  of  other  denominations.  But  in  liberality  of  sentiment, 
he  was  far  in  advance  of  most  ministers  of  his  day,  and  came 
much  more  readily  into  the  spirit  of  revivals,  and  of  judicious 
reforms.  He  was  a  decided  friend  and  advocate  of  revivals  ;  he 
early  introduced  the  Sabbath  School ;  and  came  finally  with 
good  grace  into  the  temperance  movement.  If  he  sometimes 
seemed  to  be  sole  director  in  the  affairs  of  the  church,  it  was  the 
custom  of  the  age.  He  moved  among  his  people  as  a  father,  in 
no  danger  of  letting  himself  down  by  undue  familiarity ;  the 
children  feared  him,  yet  loved  to  see  him  enter  the  school,  and 
when  his  lips  graciously  uttered  a  word  of  praise,  were  delighted  ; 
and  they  grew  up  with  the  feeling, — There  is  none  like  Dr.  Per- 
kins !  And  so  he  led  them,  and  kept  them  together,  until  at 


19 

length,  for  many  years,  all  the  people  of  his  parish,  who  were  na- 
tives of  the  place,  had  been  born  and  trained  up  under  his  minis- 
try. They  knew  no  other  pastor,  and  he  knew  no  other  people. 

As  a  sermonizer,  Dr.  Perkins  was  methodical  and  instructive, 
his  style  easy  and  diffuse,  rather  than  forcible,  his  thoughts  rather 
expanded  than  condensed.  His  sermons  were  chiefly  of  a  doc- 
trinal cast,  but  they  had  a  decidedly  practical  bearing.  Many 
regarded  his  extempore  discourses,  in  which  he  had  a  ready  ut- 
terance, 'as  more  interesting  than  those  which  were  written. 

Dr.  Perkins  held  the  Calvinistic  views  of  theology,  and  had  ^ 
little  sympathy  with  any  new  forms  of  doctrinal  statement.  It 
was  at  his  suggestion,  and  earnest  request,  that  the  first  meeting 
of  ministers  was  held,  which  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the 
Pastoral  Union,  and  the  establishment  of  the  Theological  Insti- 
tute of  Connecticut,  at  East  Windsor  Hill.  He  laid  the  corner 
stone  of  that  institution,  May  13,  1834. 

He  was  perhaps  the  first  Home  Missionary  in  the  country.  In  , 
October,  1788,  the  Hartford  North  Association  adopted  "  a  plan 
for  sending  a  missionary  into  the  new  countries  for  ten  weeks." 
Mr.  Perkins  received  the  appointment,  which  he  accented,  and 
doubtless  performed  the  service.  His  field  of  labor  was  probably 
in  what  is  now  the  State  of  Vermont. 

Dr.  Perkins  assisted  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  young 
men  in  their  preparation  for  college,  and  had  under  his  care,  at 
different  times,  more  than  thirty  theological  students.  He  was 
respected  and  celebrated  as  a  wise,  judicious  and  able  pastor,  but 
especially  as  continuing  his  work  so  long  and  energetically  in  the 
same  church. 

Besides  a  volume  of  twenty-four  sermons  published  in  1795, 
he  published  four  letters  on  the  Origin  and  History  of  the  Ana- 
baptists, and  no  less  than  fifteen  discourses,  delivered  at  ordina-   ^ 
tions,  funerals,  and  on  other  occasions.     Rev.  Caleb  S.  Henry 
was  his  colleague  for  nearly  two  years  from  the  Spring  of  1833, 


20 

and  Rev.  E.  W.  Andrews  the  last  few  months  of  his  life.  With 
these  exceptions,  he  performed  the  duties  of  his  office  almost  to 
the  last.  He  died  of  paralysis,  Jan.  15,  1838,  in  the  ninetieth 
year  of  his  age.  His  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  his  former 
parishioner  and  pupil,  Rev.  Joab  Brace,  of  Newington. 

About  two  years  after  his  settlement,  he  married  Catharine, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Timothy  Pitkin,  of  Farmington,  and  they  had 
three  sons  and  three  daughters. 

We  have  now  come  down  to  the  present  generation,  to  events 
in  which  yourselves  have  borne  a  part.  I  have  already  taken  up 
too  much  time,  and  will  stop  right  here.  I  wish  briefly  to  chron- 
icle the  principal  events  which  I  have  left,  and  also  to  speak  of 
some  things  relating  more  directly  to  the  principles  and  influence 
of  the  church.  And  I  will  endeavor  to  be  prepared  the  next 
Sabbath  afternoon. 

The  fathers  and  mothers,  for  successive  generations,  have 
passed  away ;  and  how  much  do  we,  who  have  taken  their 
places,  owe  them !  Not  merely  that  they  came  into  these  out- 
skirts of  the  town,  and  caused  the  wilderness  and  the  solitary 
place  to  be  glad,  but  they  have  done  this  in  a  spiritual  sense, 
giving  us  Christian  institutions.  These  pleasant,  and  in  some 
cases,  beautiful  abodes,  and  Christian  homes,  are  not  an  original 
creation  of  ours,  but  a  precious  inheritance.  Our  faith  and  wor- 
ship, and  our  educational  ideas,  are  traditional  and  historic.  And 
they  have  come  to  us,  enriched  and  perfected  by  the  gathering 
wisdom  and  labor  and  piety  of  these  departed  generations.  Let 
us  embalm  the  memory  of  these  ancestors  in  our  grateful  hearts, 
and  thank  God  for  them.  And  let  us  also,  as  I  verily  believe 
we  shall  with  the  blessing  of  Heaven,  give  our  descendants  occa- 
sion for  inore  hearty  thanksgiving  on  our  account. 


DISCOURSE     II. 


PSALM    80  :  8  —  10. 

Thou  hast  brought  a  vine  out  of  Egypt ;  thou  hast  cast  out  the  heathen  and 
planted  it.  Thou  preparedst  room  before  it,  and  didst  cause  it  to  take  deep  root, 
and  it  filled  the  land.  The  hills  were  covered  with  the  shadow  of  it,  and  the 
boughs  thereof  were  like  the  goodly  cedars. 

THAT  was  indeed  a  goodly  vine  that  was  transplanted  from 
Egypt  to  Palestine,  and  the  blessing  that  was  in  its  clusters  will 
never  cease.  That  was  also  a  goodly  vine,  that  was  brought 
from  the  old  world  and  planted,  in  1620,  in  this  American  wil- 
derness. But  we  will  confine  our  attention  to  the  Branch  that 
has  been  growing  here  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  years. 

We  have  followed  the  history  of  this  Church,  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  years,  down  to  the  period  of  Dr.  Perkins'  death, 
in  the  beginning  of  1838.  Some  five  or  six  years  previous,  the 
Doctor,  "  by  reason  of  strength,"  having  passed  considerably  be- 
yond his  four  score  years,  it  was  deemed  advisable  that  he  should 
have  permanent  assistance.  Accordingly.,  in  May,  1833,  Rev. 
CALEB  S.  HENRY  was  invited  by  the  Church  and  Society  to  set- 
tle as  colleague  pastor  with  Dr.  Perkins,  and  was  installed  on 
the  12th  of  June  following.  He  remained  less  than  two  years, 
being  dismissed  March  25,  1835,  the  same  day  on  which  this 
house,  in  which  we  now  worship,  was  dedicated. 

With  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Henry,  there  seems  to  have  arisen 
a  spirit  of  enterprise,  that  has  greatly  improved  the  comforts  and 
the  goodly  appearance  of  the  place.  First,  the  Lecture  Room, 


22 

or  "  Vestry,"  as  it  was  called,  was  erected.  The  following  year, 
this  Church  was  built,  according  to  a  plan  presented  by  Solomon 
S.  Flagg,  in  behalf  of  a  committee,  consisting  of  James  Butler, 
Seth  Talcott,  Augustus  Flagg,  Joseph  E.  Cone,  Solomon  S.  Flagg, 
Thomas  Brace,  Albigence  Scarborough,  Hezekiah  Selden,  Nathan 
Seymour,  Ralph  Wells,  Morgan  Goodwin,  Jr.,  and  Theron  Dem- 
ing.  The  Building  Committee  were  Seth  Talcott,  Timothy  Sedg- 
wick,  Samuel  Whitman,  Solomon  S.  Flagg,  Ralph  Wells,  Mark 
Gridley,  and  Joseph  E.  Cone.  It  was  dedicated,  as  before  stated, 
March  25,  1835,  and  the  dedication  sermon  preached  by  Dr. 
Perkins.  In  1838,  the  Parsonage  was  built,  and  soon  after,  the 
Academy ;  so  that,  within  a  period  of  about  six  or  seven  years, 
these  four  public  edifices  were  erected,  viz.  the  Congregational 
Lecture  Room,  Church,  Parsonage,  and  the  Academy. 

In  1836  and  1837,  the  Church  and  Society  extended  a  call 
successively  to  Messrs.  Jonathan  Brace,  Tertius  S.  Clark,  and 
A.  R.  Baker,  each  of  whom  declined.  In  October,  1837,  they 
gave  a  unanimous  call  to  Mr.  EDWARD  W.  ANDREWS,  who  ac- 
cepted it,  and  was  ordained  as  colleague  pastor  with  Dr.  Perkins, 
on  the  15th  of  November,  just  two  months  before  the  decease  of 
the  latter.  He  continued  a  little  more  than  three  years,  and  was 
dismissed,  Dec.  22,  1840.  There  were  received  to  the  church 
during  his  ministry,  on  profession  of  their  faith,  sixty  members, — 
forty-eight  of  them  during  the  year  1838. 

After  considerable  conflict  in  relation  to  a  candidate  for  settle- 
ment, a  unanimous  call  was  given,  in  September,  1841,  to  Rev. 
GEORGE  I.  WOOD,  who  received  it  favorably,  and  was  installed 
on  the  9th  of  November.  After  a  ministry  of  about  two  years 
and  a  half,  during  which  there  were  added  to  the  church,  by 
profession,  thirty  members,  he  was  dismissed,  June  5,  1844. 

The  next  pastor  was  Rev.  DWIGHT  M.  SEWARD,  who  was  in- 
stalled, Jan.  14,  1845.  He  remained  nearly  six  years,  when  he 
was  dismissed,  Dec.  18,  1850.  Fourteen  persons  were  added  to 


the  church,  by  profession,  during  his  ministry,  and  twenty-three 
by  letter ;  and  besides  these,  several  others  indulged  hope,  and 
united  with  the  church  under  the  ministry  of  his  successor. 

I  have  so  recently  given  you  a  review  of  my  own  ministry 
here,  which  commenced  July  1,  1852,  that  I  will  add  nothing  at 
the  present  time,  except  to  say  that  there  have  been  received  to 
the  church  during  this  period,  seventy-nine  by  profession,  and 
thirty-nine  by  letter,  and  that  the  church  at  the  present  time 
numbers  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight  members,  including  sev- 
enteen who  are  permanently  absent, — eighty  males,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-eight  females. 

The  following,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain,  is  a  list 
of  the  Deacons  of  the  Church  from  the  beginning,  including 
those  now  in  office,  mentioned  in  the  order  of  their  election : — 
Abraham  Merrill,  William  Gaylord,  Daniel  Webster,  Abraham 
Merrill,  (son  of  the  preceding  Dea.  Merrill,)  Thomas  Hosmer, 
John  Whitman,  Noah  Webster,  (son  of  Dea.  Daniel  Webster, 
and  father  of  Noah  Webster,  LL.  D.,)  Benjamin  Gilbert,  Abijah 
Colton,  (son  of  Rev.  Benjamin  Colton,)  Timothy  Gridley,  Jona- 
than B.  Balch,  Moses  Goodman,  Sen.,  Jedediah  Mills,  Moses 
Goodman,  Jun.,  Roderick  Colton,  (son  of  Dea.  Abijah  Colton,) 
Hezekiah  Selden,  Albigence  Scarborough,  Josiah  W.  Griswold, 
Joseph  E.  Cone,  Edward  Brace,  Chester  Francis,  George  Butler. 

This  was  the  only  Church  in  West  Hartford,  until  the  year 
1843,  when  St.  James'  Parish  (Episcopal)  was  constituted.  The 
Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1858. 

A  small  Society  of  Friends,  or  Quakers,  was  formed  the  latter 
part  of  the  last  century,  but  it  never  flourished,  and  continued 
only  a  few  years. 

In  reviewing  the  history  of  this  Church,  we  see  clearly  the 
wisdom  of  our  fathers  in  establishing  and  maintaining  it.  And 
let  us  observe  that  the  blessings  which  have  flowed  so  abundantly 


24 

from  this  Church,  have  flowed  also  from  others  of  its  kind,  and 
thus  our  New  England  has  been  greatly  blessed,  and  been  a  rich 
source  of  blessing  to  the  whole  land  and  the  world.  The  first 
settlers  here  surely  did  not  know  all  the  good  they  were  doing. 
They  sought  privileges  for  themselves  and  their  children,  and 
they  secured  them  for  many  generations.  They  opened  the 
fountains  of  truth,  and  the  waters  have  continued  to  flow,  purer 
and  more  abundant.  They  planted  the  vine,  and  it  has  continued 
to  grow,  and  its  fruit  has  improved  from  age  to  age.  The  rough 
wilderness  has  given  place  to  as  pleasant  a  rural  town  as  the  sun 
ever  shone  upon.  We  have  here  all  the  elements  of  prosperity, — 
the  indications  of  a  refined,  intelligent,  and  Christian  community. 
The  sanctuary,  with  the  preached  gospel,  has  here  been  perma- 
nently established,  and  a  century  and  a  half  has  proved  that 
"  those  that  be  planted  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  flourish  in 
the  courts  of  our  God."  Where  the  gospel  is  faithfully  preached, 
and  the  people  are  a  church-going  people,  there  intelligence  pre- 
vails, schools  are  maintained  and  the  children  educated,  industri- 
ous habits,  good  morals,  and  social  order  are  preserved,  and  all 
things  that  are  true  and  honest  and  of  good  report  find  favor ; 
and  what  is  more,  the  way  of  holiness  and  eternal  life  is  under- 
stood, and  many  walk  therein.  So  it  has  been  here.  Error  and 
irreligion  and  vice  may  have  crept  in,  but  they  have  not  found  a 
home  here ;  the  Church  of  Christ  and  the  Gospel  of  Christ  have 
dwelt  here,  and  infidelity  and  vice  have  sought  concealment  in 
their  hiding  places.  There  may  have  been  many  who  would  not 
receive  the  light  of  the  gospel,  but  they  have  not  prevented  that 
light  from  shining  on  the  community.  Would  this  have  been  so 
without  this  Church  and  Society,  and  the  Sanctuary  which  they 
have  sustained  ? 

There  are  those  who  have  no  great  respect  for  the  organized 
Church  and  the  worship  of  God,  and  who  are  seldom  seen  in  the 
sanctuary.  I  should  like  to  ask  them  whether,  without  the 


25 

Church  and  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  the  schools  would  have 
been  as  well  maintained,  and  intelligence  and  morality  and  hon- 
esty have  been  as  prevalent,  and  privileges  as  abundant,  and 
their  property  as  valuable  and  secure,  and  society  as  desirable  to 
live  in,  as  is  now  the  case, — to  say  nothing  about  the  higher  in- 
terests of  the  immortal  soul.  No,  nothing  like  it.  Without  the 
sun,  darkness  covers  the  earth.  Without  a  preached  gospel, 
moral  darkness  is  as  sure  to  settle  down  on  society.  From  the 
early  settlement  of  the  place,  this  church  has  continued  to  reflect 
the  light  of  the  gospel  on  the  community,  and  the  blessings  that 
have  been  the  result,  no  one  can  estimate. 

From  time  to  time,  individuals  have  withdrawn  from  the  So- 
ciety, not  in  all  cases  for  the  purpose  of  casting  in  their  lot  with 
some  other  Christian  enterprise,  but  simply  for  the  purpose  of 
separating  themselves  and  families  from  the  concern.  They  have 
doubtless  acted  from  reasons  satisfactory  to  themselves.  We  are 
often  led  to  take  steps  which  may  seem  best  at  the  time,  but  the 
whole  bearing  and  consequences  of  which,  the  result  alone  can 
determine.  Now  in  carefully  considering  such  cases,  I  must  say, 
that  I  have  failed  to  perceive  any  good  that  has  come  to  individ- 
uals, or  their  families,  from  a  separation  from  the  House  of  God, 
or  from  the  Society  that  supports  it.  I  very  much  fear  that  in 
some  instances,  by  such  a  step,  unhappy  influences  have  been 
entailed  upon  successive  generations.  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
loves  his  churches,  imperfect  as  they  are  ;  and  upon  those  families 
that  are  in  the  most  intimate  relation  to  them,  does  He  shed  most 
abundantly  those  influences  that  tend  to  salvation.  Things  may 
go  wrong  in  the  Church,  or  in  the  Society,  and  individuals  may 
have  just  cause  to  feel  aggrieved ;  but  if  the  evil  can  not  be  im- 
mediately removed,  it  is  better  to  bear  with  it,  and  wait  patiently 
upon  God,  than  to  withdraw  from  the  sanctuary,  or  from  its  sup- 
port,— for  the  blessing  of  God  is  certainly  found  in  His  house, 

and  among  the  people  who  sustain  it,  and  worship  in  it.     And  I 
4 


26 

would  say  to  the  young  men,  Give  your  hearts  to  Christ,  profess 
your  faith  in  Him,  and  enter  into  covenant  with  Him  and  his 
people  ;  and  if  his  worship  is  maintained  through  the  Ecclesiasti- 
cal Society,  become  members  of  that,  and  do  all  in  your  power 
to  increase  the  blessed  influences  of  the  sanctuary  of  God,  and 
thus  prove  yourselves  the  worthy  children  of  those  noble  ances- 
tors who  established  and  maintained  it, — the  one  great  blessing 
to  the  place. 

There  were  some  principles  and  practices,  justly  deemed,  in 
the  light  in  which  we  view  them,  erroneous,  which  were  adopted 
by  this  church,  in  common  with  the  other  churches  of  the  New 
England  Colonies.  One  of  these  was  the  "  Half-way  Covenant " 
plan.  It  was  a  lapse  from  the  old  "  Congregational  way  "  of  ad- 
mitting to  the  church  only  those  who  gave  evidence  of  a  renewed 
heart,  and  it  did  not  come  into  practice  without  the  most  earnest 
opposition  of  many  of  the  ministers  and  members  of  the  churches 
of  those  days.  Let  us  note  the  rise  of  the  ideas  from  which  it 
sprung.  In  the  early  working  of  the  New  England  Churches, 
there  were  felt  to  be  certain  difficulties,  which  were  sure  to  make 
trouble,  unless  some  method  could  be  found  to  remove  them. 
For  example,  all  were  required  to  share  in  the  expense  of  support- 
ing the  churches,  while  none  but  the  members  were  allowed  any 
voice  in  the  settlement  of  a  minister,  or  otherwise  in  the  manage- 
ment of  affairs.  Very  naturally,  this  was  felt  to  be  an  evil  that  de- 
manded a  remedy.  And  then,  there  was  a  large  class  of  people, 
seemingly  of  good  Christian  life  and  character,  only  they  could  not 
profess  that  they  had  experienced  the  regenerating  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  They  had  been  baptized,  and  were  recognized  as 
in  some  sense  belonging  to  the  church ;  they  were  blameless  in 
their  lives,  cherishing  a  respect  for  religion,  and  conforming,  exter- 
nally at  least,  to  all  its  requirements  ;  were  doing,  as  was  believed, 
all  that  they  could  do,  only  they  had  not  been  "  effectually  called" 


27 

by  the  divine  working,  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  This  was 
believed  to  be  unattainable  through  any  means  within  their 
reach.  Should  such  persons,  and  their  families,  be  entirely  ex- 
cluded from  church  privileges  ?  The  opinion  began  to  be  ad- 
vanced, that  they  should  be  admitted  to  all  the  privileges  of  the 
church,  except  the  right  of  partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
This  sentiment  increased,  and  the  churches  became  greatly  di- 
vided, until  in  1657,  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  advised 
a  General  Council.  This  Council  assembled  at  Boston,  in  June, 
1657  ;  four  delegates  were  appointed  by  the  General  Court  of 
Connecticut.  But  the  decision  of  this  Council,  which  was  in  fa- 
vor of  the  new  scheme,  only  increased  the  agitation  and  division 
to  a  greater  degree.  In  1662,  the  General  Court  of  Massachu- 
setts convened  another  Council,  and  laid  before  it  two  questions, 
the  most  important  of  which  was,  "  Who  are  the  subjects  of 
Baptism  ?"  Their  answer,  which  was  mainly  in  accordance  with 
that  of  the  preceding  Council,  was  drawn  up  in  five  propositions, 
the  last  of  which  was  the  following :  "  Church  members  who  were 
admitted  in  minority,"  that  is,  baptized  in  infancy,  "  understand- 
ing the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  publicly  professing  their  assent 
thereto,  not  scandalous  in  life,  and  solemnly  owning  the  covenant 
before  the  Church,  wherein  they  give  up  themselves  and  their 
children  to  the  Lord,  and  subject  themselves  to  the  government 
of  Christ  in  the  Church,  their  children  are  to  be  baptized." 

This  is  the  substance  of  what  has  been  called  the  "  Half-way 
Covenant."  Several  of  the  most  pious  and  learned  members  of 
the  Council  recorded  their  solemn  protest  against  it.  And 
though  in  Connecticut  the  General  Court,  which  considered  itself 
responsible  for  the  care  and  direction  of  the  Churches,  favored 
the  new  way  from  the  outset,  yet  it  was  a  long  time  before  the 
Churches  gave  up  their  opposition,  and  settled  down  under  its 
working.  In  the  First  Church  in  Hartford,  the  conflict  was  se- 
vere. Rev.  John  Whiting  and  Rev.  Joseph  Haynes,  the  former 


28 

thirty-one,  and  the  latter  twenty-five  years  of  age,  were  the  joint 
pastors,  as  successors  of  the  famous  Thomas  Hooker  and  Saniuej 
Stone.  Whiting  contended  earnestly  for  the  old  way,  and 
Haynes — with  whom  was  a  majority — for  the  new.  There 
seemed  to  be  little  prospect  of  peace.  Mr.  Whiting  and  thirty- 
one  members  of  the  church  withdrew,  and  formed  what  is  now 
the  South  Church  in  Hartford.* 

We  do  not  wonder  at  the  unwillingness  to  give  way  to  this  in- 
novation, for  it  seemed  like  subverting  the  foundations  of  the 
church.  Its  tendency  and  design  were  to  merge  the  church  in 
the  parish,  by  bringing  all  respectable  people  into  the  church. 
The  covenant  which  was  entered  into — the  half-way  covenant — 
was  perhaps  strong  enough,  certainly  in  its  terms,  but  it  was  un- 
derstood as  not  implying  a  change  of  heart.  We  can  easily  under- 
stand what  a  death-like  influence  it  would  exert,  in  relation  to  spir- 
itual religion.  Many  who  should  come  thus  far  into  the  church, 
or  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  would  be  likely  to  rest  there,  and 
come  no  farther.  We  are  not  surprised  that  when  the  churches 
had  come  to  be  fully  established  in  this  new  measure,  they  should 
be  prepared  for  another  step,  viz.  to  admit  members  to  full  com- 
munion on  the  same  grounds  as  to  the  other  privileges  of  the 
church,  without  evidence  of  experimental  piety.  This  came  to 
be  extensively  practiced  in  the  churches,  and  at  length  it  was 
earnestly  advocated  by  Rev.  Solomon  Stoddard  of  Northampton, 
and  as  earnestly  opposed  by  his  grand-son  and  colleague,  Presi-, 
dent  Edwards.  Mr.  Stoddard  regarded  the  Lord's  Supper  as  a 
converting  ordinance,  not  to  be  denied  to  baptized  persons,  though 
they  knew  themselves  to  be  unrenewed.  This  practice  of  admit- 
ting members  to  the  church  without  evidence  of  piety,  on  the 
ground  of  a  moral  life,  may  perhaps  be  regarded  as  the  principal 


*  See  Dr.  Bacon's  Historical  Discourse  before  the  General  Association  of  Con- 
necticut, in  1859, 


29 

cause  of  that  general  deadness  of  the  churches  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century  previous  to  the  "  great  awakening,"  which 
began  about  1735. 

The  churches  had  come  fully  into  the  practice  of  the  half-way 
covenant,  before  the  formation  of  this  church,  so  that  there  was 
here  no  controversy  on  this  subject.  The  first  reference  to  it  on  the 
records  is  in  1718,  when  fifty-two  were  admitted ;  in  1729,  fifty- 
one  ;  in  1748,  twenty ;  in  1749,  twenty-one ;  and  in  all,  there 
were  admitted  on  the  half-way  covenant  plan,  two  hundred  and 
eighty,  besides  nine  recommended  from  other  places.  Only  nine 
thus  "  owned  the  covenant "  after  the  commenement  of  Dr.  Per- 
kins' ministry,  and  these  were  during  the  first  two  or  three  years. 
The  system  here  seems  to  have  quietly  fallen  into  disuse,  for  I 
find  no  vote  abolishing  it  on  the  records.  It  held  its  influence 
over  two  generations,  and  two  pastorates,  and  gave  way  to  a 
more  scriptural  method.  In  the  account  of  admissions  during 
the  different  pastorates,  these  half-way  covenanters  were  not  in- 
cluded. Members  admitted  in  this  way,  at  least  after  the  com- 
mencement of  Mr.  Hooker's  ministry,  were  propounded  for  ad- 
mission, and  were  under  the  discipline  of  the  church,  the  same  as 
those  admitted  to  full  communion. 

The  voluntary  principle,  in  relation  to  the  support  of  religion, 
has  very  happily  come  to  be  fully  established.  No  man  is  obliged, 
by  law,  to  continue  a  member  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Society,  any 
longer  than  he  chooses.  When  he  sees  fit  to  withdraw,  he  is  not 
obliged  to  become  connected  with  any  other  Society.  No  man 
is  even  a  member  of  any  Society,  until  he  expresses  his  wish 
to  become  such.  This  is  right,  and  happy  in  its  effects.  Still, 
this  does  not  destroy  the  moral  obligation  of  men  to  bear  their 
proportion  of  sustaining  every  system  from  which  they  derive 
advantage.  To  illustrate :  When  this  West  Division  was  made 
a  Society,  it  was  under  a  restriction,  in  accordance  with  the  re- 
quest of  the  Hartford  Committee  who  presented  the  remon- 


30 

strance,  that  the  lands  of  non-residents,  and  of  such  as  chose  to 
continue  their  connection  with  Hartford  as  before,  should  be  ex- 
empt from  taxation  for  Society  expenses.  In  1715,  we  find  this 
Society  before  the  General  Court,  praying  that  this  restriction 
might  be  removed.  The  lots  of  those  non-resident  owners,  say 
they,  are  rapidly  rising  in  value,  in  consequence  of  what  those 
who  reside  here  are  expending, — and  the  owners  seeing  this,  re- 
fuse to  sell,  waiting  for  a  greater  rise.  They  are  receiving  pe- 
cuniary benefit  from  us,  and  instead  of  doing  any  thing  for  us  in 
return,  they  are  injuring  our  Society,  by  holding  on  to  their 
lands,  and  so  keeping  away  new  settlers.  Besides,  we  who  have 
property  in  town  pay  rates  there,  and  why  should  not  the  people 
in  town,  who  have  property  here,  pay  rates  here  ?  Moreover, 
they  continue,  the  restriction  tends  to  make  turmoil ;  for  if  any 
resident  becomes  disaifected,  he  has  but  to  move  his  residence  a 
few  rods,  over  our  bounds,  and  he  enjoys  all  the  benefits  of  our 
Society,  and  is  exempt  from  any  of  the  expenses. 

These  points  were  well  taken  ;  and  they  prove  that  your  pious 
forefathers,  who  founded  this  town,  saw  clearly  the  true  princi- 
ples, and  were  able  to  assert  them.  It  is  a  manifest  principle  of 
justice,  that  every  individual  who  is  benefited,  in  property  or 
otherwise,  from  the  influence  of  a  church,  or  a  school,  or  any 
other  institution,  should  be  willing,  to  the  same  extent,  to  bear 
his  proportion  of  the  burden  of  sustaining  such  institution.  Now 
let  our  churches  and  schools  be  annihilated :  Would  not  the  dis- 
astrous effects  soon  reach  the  interests,  even  of  those  who  never 
appear  in  the  house  of  God,  or  who  have  no  children  to  be  edu- 
cated? But  we  are  all  glad  that  Religion  stands  on  its  own 
foundation, — that  no  one  is  compelled  to  do  any  thing  for  its 
maintenance,  farther  than  his  own  inclination  or  sense  of  duty 
may  lead  him  to  do  so.  The  rights  and  liberties  and  duties  of 
the  people,  in  relation  to  ecclesiastical  matters,  are  more  happily 
adjusted  now  than  in  the  early  history  of  our  country.  For  ex- 


31 

ample,  none  are  compelled  to  support  a  form  of  worship  which 
they  dislike,  nor  indeed  any  form.  And  they  who  furnish  the 
funds  can,  through  the  Ecclesiastical  Society,  have  the  full  con- 
trol and  disposal  of  those  funds.  And  as  to  those  good  people 
who  have  never  been  renewed  from  above,  they  are  taught,  more 
clearly  we  think  than  formerly,  the  way  into  the  holiest  of  all, 
by  Jesus  Christ,  and  qualified  by  their  entrance  there,  they  are 
invited  to  the  full  communion  of  the  saints ;  while  they  under- 
stand that  if  they  have  not  known  Christ,  they  can  not  enter 
even  the  outer  court  of  his  temple. 

Time  has  wrought  changes,  and  in  some  respects,  improve- 
ments. Manners  and  customs  have  changed.  A  century  and  a 
quarter  ago,  the  laws  made  the  minister  almost  supreme  in  his 
own  parish,  in  matters  of  religion.  No  man,  clergyman  or  other- 
wise, might  hold  a  meeting  within  the  geographical  limits  of  his 
parish,  without  his  consent.* 

At  the  beginning  of  Mr.  Hooker's  pastorate,  the  Church  voted, 
"  that  the  Say  brook  Platform,  established  by  law  and  founded  on 
Scripture,  shall  be  the  rule  the  church  shall  be  governed  by  in 
matters  of  order  and  discipline ;  and  that  neither  the  church  nor 
minister  shall  have  power  to  act  separately."  It  was  provided 
that  when  pastor  and  church  disagreed,  a  Council  should  be  called 
for  advice,  and  then,  if  the  disagreement  continued,  another 
Council  for  final  decision.  In  those  days,  the  discipline  of  the 
church  appears  to  have  been  thoroughly  attended  to.  And  here 
originated  the  appointment  of  a  Standing  Committee  in  this 


*  In  Mr.  Hooker's  day,  a  member  of  the  church  having  invited  a  Separatist,  or 
Strict  Congregational  minister  to  preach  within  the  parish,  the  Church  "  Voted  and 
resolved,  that  it  is  a  disorderly  thing,  worthy  of  censure,  and  what  this  Church  will 
not  countenance,  for  any  of  its  members  to  invite  and  to  introduce  into  any  part  of 
this  parish  Separate  preachers,  to  preach  and  hold  forth  to  the  people  against  the 
express  disapprobation  of  the  pastor,  or  without  his  express  approbation,  or  the 
consent  of  the  Church." 


church ;  and  as  the  design  and  business  of  that  committee  ap- 
pear in  this  first  appointment,  and  as  these  seem  to  me  important, 
let  me  call  your  attention  to  them.  The  pastor,  it  would  appear, 
had  formerly  been  relied  on  to  take  the  initiatory  steps  in  cases  of 
discipline  for  public  scandal,  but  the  impropriety  of  this  had  be- 
come apparent.  We  find  in  the  records,  under  date  of  June  26, 
1765,  this  entry :  "  As  there  seems  to  be  no  propriety  in  a  min- 
ister's being  an  informing  officer  to  the  church,"  etc.,  "there 
was  in  the  year  1758,  such  a  vote  as  this  passed,"  designed  to 
relieve  him  from  bringing  cases  of  discipline  before  the  church, 
unless  there  should  be  a  written  complaint  brought  to  him  against 
some  member ;  but  there  was  an  omission  or  oversight,  for  no- 
body was  made  responsible  for  looking  after  cases  of  scandal,  and 
making  complaint,  or  as  is  recorded,  "  in  which  vote  there  is  no 
provision  made  for  sundry  inconveniences  that  may  arise  from 
there  being  none  to  take  cognizance  of  open  and  scandalous 
crimes,  it  is  therefore  voted  by  this  church,  that  there  be  a  Church 
Committee,  to  be  chosen  as  often  as  the  church  thinks  fit,  whose 
business  it  shall  be  to  exhibit  a  charge,  as  a  committee,  in  all  fla- 
grant instances  of  [immorality],  and  when  any  member  is  pub- 
licly " — that  is,  by  rumor,  "  impeached  of  scandalous  immorality, 
or  convicted  of  the  same  in  a  civil  court,  the  committee  shall  in- 
quire into  the  matter,"  etc. ;  that  is,  in  all  cases  where  members 
are  reputed  to  be  walking  disorderly,  where  their  character  suf- 
fers, and  the  character  of  the  church  suffers  through  them ;  all 
cases  where  the  offense  is  not  against  some  individual ;  in  all 
cases,  where  it  is  every  body's  business,  and  so  practically  no- 
body's,— the  Committee  shall  make  investigation.  They  are  ap- 
pointed for  the  very  purpose,  not  of  receiving  complaints,  but  of 
keeping  an  out-look  upon  the  church,  with  a  view  to  take  the 
initiatory  steps,  in  all  cases  where  there  is  need  of  discipline  for 
public  offenses.  The  appointment  was  made,  because  there  was 
none  to  take  cognizance  of  such  offenses.  The  pastor  might  re- 


ceive  complaints,  but  there  were  none  who  were  responsible  for 
looking  into  the  matter,  and  bringing  complaint  when  necessary  ; 
and  to  supply  this  want,  the  Standing  Committee  were  appointed. 
They  are  properly  a  Committee  of  Discipline,  to  attend  to  this 
very  thing.  If  the  discipline  of  the  church  is  neglected,  they 
are  responsible  for  the  neglect.  If,  in  course  of  time,  that  com- 
mittee has  come  to  fill  the  somewhat  more  comprehensive  office 
of  Prudential  Committee,  the  discipline  of  the  church  is  one  of 
the  most  important  prudential  things  for  them  to  consider.  But 
I  have  given  you  the  one  design  for  which  they  were  originally 
appointed. 

This  church  has  generally  been  alive  to  its  responsibilities  and 
duties.  We  find  it,  a  hundred  years  ago,  taking  measures,  by 
vote,  to  excite  the  young  to  a  more  diligent  study  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  to  awaken  a  more  general  interest  in  theological  topics. 
The  Sabbath  School  was  established  here  in  1819,  and  has  con- 
tinued to  the  present  time,  with  a  good  degree  of  prosperity. 
And  the  faithful  laborers  in  this  field  may  feel  assured  that  they 
have  aided  largely  in  the  prosperity  of  the  church,  and  the  well- 
being  of  the  community,  and  that  when  they  rest  from  their  la- 
bors, their  works  will  follow  them. 

The  church  has  been  greatly  blessed  with  revivals  of  religion, 
and  the  Divine  influence  has  been  manifest  throughout  its  entire 
history. 

This  people  have  taken  hold  of  the  various  objects  of  Chris- 
tian benevolence,  with  a  steady,  and  we  think  with  increasing 
zeal.  Not  alone,  this  small  town,  but  the  world,  has  been  blessed 
by  its  influence.* 


*  The  church  has  raised  up  and  sent  forth  to  preach  the  gospel  of  salvation,  no 
less  than  nineteen  ministers,  faithful  men,  and  some  of  them  eminent  in  their  Mas* 
tor's  service,  viz.  Eli  Colton  and  George  Colton,  (sons  of  the  first  pastor,— the  lat- 
ter for  nearly  fifty  years  the  far-famed  pastor  of  the  church  in  Bolton,)  Elijmal.-t 

5 


34 

But  I  must  close.  Until  within  twenty  years,  as  before  re- 
marked, this  was  the  only  Christian  church  in  the  place.*  And 
through  the  grace  of  God,  it  has  nobly  fulfilled  the  mission  of  a 
Christian  church  here.  It  has  not  been  the  embodiment  of  a 
sect,  but  the  brotherhood  of  the  disciples  of  Christ  in  the  commu- 
nity. In  this  respect,  it  has  been  like  the  churches  in  the  times 
of  the  apostles.  We  hear  nothing  of  the  Congregational,  or 
Methodist,  or  Episcopal,  or  Baptist  church,  in  Corinth,  or  Ephe- 
sus,  or  Philippi, — but  of  the  Church  in  those  places.  And  this 
was  not  instituted  as  the  Congregational  church,  but  "  the  Church 
of  Christ  in  West  Hartford."  And  it  was  designed  to  embrace 
all  the  disciples  of  Christ  in  this  community,  who  should  seek 
admission  to  its  communion.  It  holds  Christ  as  the  Head,  and 
calls  no  man  master  ;  and  it  excludes  from  its  communion  no  one 
who  furnishes  evidence  that  Christ  has  received  him,  though  his 
views  may  differ  in  unessential  particulars,  from  those  of  a  ma- 
jority of  the  members.  If  a  person  rejects  the  essential  doctrines 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  we  can  not  of  course  regard  him  as  a 
disciple  of  Christ.  But  all  whom  we  regard  as  Christian  disci- 
ples, we  receive  to  our  church  and  communion.  And  here  all 
Christian  souls  may  walk  together  in  the  ways  of  God,  enjoy 
full  liberty  of  conscience  and  opinion,  and  sit  together  at  the  ta- 


Steele,  Marshfield  Steele,  Jonathan  Belden,  Nathan  Perkins,  Jr.,  (son  of  the  third 
pastor,)  George  Colton  and  Chester  Colton,  (sons  of  Dea.  Abijah  Coltou,  and  grand- 
sons of  the  first  pastor,  the  former  of  whom  has  several  sons  in  the  ministry,)  Harry 
Croswell,  D.  D.,  Joab  Brace,  D.  D.,  Epaphras  Goodman,  Reuben  Porter,  Evelyn 
Sedgwick,  Seymour  M.  Spencer,  Richard  Woodruff,  Amzi  Francis,  Elihu  Mason, 
Austin  Isham,  Hiram  Elmer,  and  probably  several  others.  In  other  professions  and 
pursuits,  many  of  the  sons  of  West  Hartford  have  honorably  discharged  the  duties 
of  life  in  various  parts  of  the  land.  Some  of  them,  as  for  example  the  world-re- 
nowned Noah  Webster,  LL.  D.,  have  become  highly  distinguished  in  their  respec- 
tive departments. 

*  And  no  other  place  of  worship  was  permanently  established  until  about  twelve 
years  ago. 


35 

ble  of  their  Lord,  in  the  highest  act  of  Christian  communion. 
We  are  not  therefore  a  sect.  Our  affairs  are  managed  by  the 
brethren  themselves,  who  are  all  equal  in  authority.  We  are 
bound  by  Christian  affection  to  Christ  and  to  one  another,  and 
under  this  bond  we  find  our  security  and  our  Christian  liberty. 
And  thus,  substantially,  from  the  first,  has  this  church  pursued 
its  course,  enjoying  the  most  precious  tokens  of  the  Divine  love. 
And  thus  it  is  still  pursuing  its  course.  If  any  think  they  have 
found  a  better  way,  one  that  tends  more  to  peace,  and  fellowship, 
and  sanctification,  and  effectiveness  in  the  work  of  Christ, — one 
that  more  nearly  accords  with  the  mind  of  Christ, — we  can  only 
pray  that  they  may  receive  fully  of  his  spirit,  and  enjoy  his  love. 
But  for  ourselves,  we  prefer  to  walk  in  the  good  old  paths  which 
our  pious  fathers  trod,  leaving  behind  any  thing  which  may  be 
found  erroneous  or  hurtful,  and  to  teach  our  children  to  love 
those  ways,  and  walk  in  them,  while  we  seek  for  them  a  richer 
legacy  even  than  that  which  we  received  from  the  honored  ones 
who  have  gone  before  us. 


I  p  1 ti 4  i  x  * 


"October  12,  1710. 
"  To  <Ae  Honored  General  Assembly  now  sitting  in  New  Haven. 

"  THE  petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  part  of  the  town  of  Hartford,  com- 
monly called  by  the  name  of  the  West  Division,  showeth : — That  your  petitioners, 
being  by  the  providence  of  God  settled  something  remote  from  the  town  of  Hart- 
ford, do  desire  the  liberty  to  call  or  settle,  as  we  may  see  meet,  a  minister  amongst 
us  to  carry  on  the  public  worship  of  God,  for  which  we  offer  these  reasons  to  your 
Honors'  consideration : — 

"1.  The  distance  from  the  places  is  such  that  a  good  part  of  God's  time  is  spent 
traveling  backwards  and  forwards,  which  if  otherwise  we  might  spend  in  his  ser- 
vice to  our  comfort. 

"  2.  The  difficulties  of  the  way  that  many  times  must  be  encountered  with,  as 
bad  traveling  underfoot,  uncomfortableness  overhead,  and  a  river  not  seldom  dif- 
ficult, sometimes  impassable ;  which  things  render  the  way  not  only  difficult,  but 
sometimes  impracticable. 

"  3.  That  our  small  children  may  be  present  at  the  public  worship  of  God,  and 
not  be  brought  up  in  darkness  in  such  a  land  of  light  as  this  is,  but  may  be  in- 
structed in  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel. 

"  4.  Is  the  difficulties  of  leaving  them,  unguarded  at  home,  especially  in  danger- 
ous times,  whereby  we  do  not  only  expose  them  to  their  own  fears,  but  to  our  en- 
emies' rage,  or  in  hazard  thereof. 

"  These  things,  with  the  reasons  offered,  we  desire  may  not  only  be  taken  in  seri- 
ous consultation,  but  also  that  we  may  have  a  present  affirmative  result  and  appro- 
bation ;  and  your  humble  petitioners  shall  ever  pray.  Which  is  the  humble  request 
of  your  humble  petitioners. 

(Signed.)  "Thomas  Olmsted,  David  Ensign,  Sen.,  John  Watson,  Sen.,  Nath. 
Arnold,  Joseph  Butler,  Lamrock  Flower,  Simon  Smith,  John  Merrill,  Joseph  Gil- 
let,  Abraham  Merrill,  John  Webster,  Jonathan  Bull,  Abel  Merrill,  Thomas  Steel, 
Samuel  Sedgwick,  Samuel  Kellogg,  Thomas  Morgan,  David  Ensign,  Jun.,  Cor- 
nelius Merry,  James  Williams,  Samuel  Shepherd,  Thomas  Shepherd,  William 
Gaylord,  John  Scot,  Paul  Peck,  John  Peck,  Esther  Bull,  John  Watson,  Jun." 


38 

This  petition  was  referred  to  a  Committee  for  investigation,  as  appears  from  the 
following  vote : 

"  Voted  in  the  Lower  House,  That  Lieut.  Col.  Matthew  Allyn,  John  Moore,  Esq. 
and  Mr.  Return  Strong  of  Windsor,  or  any  two  of  them,  are  a  Committee  appointed 
by  this  Court,  to  inspect  the  reasonableness  of  this  petition,  and  make  their  report 
to  this  Assembly  in  May  next,  to  be  done  at  the  expense  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
West  Division ;  the  said  Committee  to  treat  with  the  town  of  Hartford  and  the 
West  Division,  endeavoring  to  bring  them  to  a  compliance. 

"Test.        EOGER  WOLCOTT,  Clerk. 
"  Passed  in  the  Upper  House. 

"Test.        C.  STANLEY,  Sec'y." 

At  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature,  a  remonstrance  was  presented  by  the 
town  of  Hartford,  as  follows: 

"  To  the  Hon.  Governor,  and  Council,  and  Representatives,  now  sitting  in  Hartford, 

May  10,  1711. 

"  Whereas  the  town  of  Hartford  have  by  their  vote  at  their  annual  town  meet- 
ing, Dec.  19,  1710,  made  choice  of  us  the  subscribers,  to  lay  before  this  Hon.  As- 
sembly the  inconveniency  of  granting  a  petition  exhibited  in  this  Court,  in  Octo- 
ber last  past,  by  the  inhabitants  belonging  to  a  certain  place  called  the  West  Di- 
vision in  Hartford,  and  in  pursuance  of  the  trust  reposed  in  us  by  the  said  town, 
do  humbly  offer  to  this  General  Assembly's  consideration :  Imprimis,  that  there 
are  already  three  settled  ministers  of  the  gospel  in  the  town  of  Hartford,  and  if 
that  we  have  a  fourth,  it  would  much  disenable  us  to  maintain  them  already  set- 
tled amongst  us,  and  do  much  stand  in  need  of  their  continuance  with  us  as  yet, 
especially  considering  the  extraordinary  charge  of  the  Colony  which  hath  been, 
and  still  lieth  upon  us;  and  we  would  pray  your  Honors  (as  we  hope  we  do)  [to] 
consider  their  own  inability  at  this  present  juncture  of  difficulty,  to  maintain  the 
public  worship  of  God  by  themselves.  And  as  to  the  distance  they  complain  of, 
in  our  apprehension  [it]  is  no  other  than  what  is  common  in  almost  all  the  planta- 
tions and  towns  in  the  Colony,  and  not  further  to  travel  than  the  settlements 
at  Windsor,  Wethersfield,  New  Haven,  Saybrook,  and  many  others;  neither  is 
the  way  more  difficult ;  and  upon  these  considerations  can  not  be  willing  to  part 
with  our  neighbors  of  the  West  Division ;  but  if  this  Hon.  Court  will  overrule  so 
as  to  grant  their  petition,  we  humbly  offer  and  entreat  that  it  may  be  with  these 
restrictions,  viz.,  that  those  that  desire  to  continue  with  us  may  pay  to  their  respec- 
tive ministers  where  they  now  belong ;  that  all  the  land  lying  in  the  West  Division 
belonging  to  persons  living  in  the  town  may  pay  to  the  ministers  in  the  town;  and 
that  all  the  land  lying  in  the  town  belonging  to  those  living  in  the  West  Division 


39 

may  also  pay  to  the  ministers  in  the  town.  All  which  we  submit  with  all  due  re- 
gards to  your  Honors'  wise  consideration.  We  desire  Mr.  Eichard  Edwards  may 
have  liberty  in  our  behalf  to  offer  what  may  concern  the  premises. 

JOSEPH  TALCOTT, 
R'D  LORD, 
CYPRIAN  NICHOLS, 
AARON  COOK." 

The  report  of  the  Committee,  to  whom  the  matter  was  referred  for  investigation, 
was  as  follows : 

"  To  the  Honorable  General  Court  sitting  at  Hartford,  May  10,  1711. 

."  Whereas  the  subscribers  were  by  order  of  the  Hon.  Gen'l  Court  holden  at 
New  Haven,  Oct.  12,  1710,  ordered  and  appointed  to  treat  with  the  inhabitants  of 
Hartford  upon  the  matters  of  the  petition,  and  endeavor  to  bring  them  to  a  willing- 
ness and  consent  thereunto,  and  also  to  consider  the  reasonableness  of  the  petition 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  West  Division  of  Hartford,  and  the  ability  of  the  petition- 
ers to  maintain  a  minister :  In  pursuance  of  the  order  of  the  Hon.  Court,  and  also 
upon  the  desire  of  the  inhabitants  in  general  of  said  Division,  did  on  the  30th  of 
November  last  past,  go  upon  the  place,  and  by  the  best  information  we  could  get, 
the  inhabitants  there  upon  the  spot  were  27  [families], — the  number  of  souls  164, 
besides  seven  houses  newly  built,  and  the  families  belonging  to  them  come,  or  are 
likely  to  come  shortly.  The  furlong  of  lots,  as  we  are  informed,  will  contain  about 
90  families,  with  about  60  acres  to  each  family.  We  further  inform  this  Honorable 
Court  that  on  the  19th  of  December  last  past  we  went  to  Hartford,  and  showed 
our  commission,  and  labored  with  them  to  come  to  a  compliance  with  their  neigh- 
bors, by  the  best  arguments  we  could  use ;  all  that  we  could  obtain  was  such  au 
answer  as  was  granted  to  the  inhabitants  on  the  east  side  of  the  Great  river,  as  may 
be  seen  by  the  record.  As  to  the  reasonableness  of  their  petition,  we  can  not  but 
apprehend,  (with  submission  to  your  Honors,)  that  the  people  are  in  a  way  of  duty, 
to  look  after  a  liberty  of  enjoyment  of  the  ordinances  amongst  them,  considering 
the  distance  they  live,  and  the  ability  they  are  at  present  in,  and  likely  to  be  a  con- 
siderable more. 

MATTH.  ALLYN, 
JOHN  MOORE." 


